DECKING DOWNTOWN
Dawn Oehlerich holds up a snowflake attached to the garland as volunteers work to hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
A lineman from Flathead Electric Co-op attaches garland to a light pole downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Trinity Workman holds a section of garland Sunday morning downtown. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Dan Fischer holds one end of garland as volunteers hang winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Volunteers hung the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Mike Muldown lets go as a section of garland is lifted Sunday morning near Depot Park. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Josh Gansel, with the City of Whitefish, attaches a lantern to a light pole on Central Avenue downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish was decorated for the winter season on Sunday morning.
Volunteers strung lighted garland punctuated with red bells, snowflakes and wreaths throughout downtown signaling the beginning of the holiday season. The decorations are a tradition that have brightened town for more than 50 years.
A group of dedicated volunteers have been repairing, replacing, improving and hanging and taking down those same decorations every winter season.
The nonprofit Whitefish Shines takes donations for the materials to keep the tradition alive. To donate to the decoration project, Whitefish Shines, P.O. Box 695 Whitefish, MT 59937.